(This post originally appeared on my blog about choir and singing. This was written well before the Covid-19 pandemic. I’ve updated my post to reflect this).
Singing when you’re sick is no fun but not impossible. With just a little extra care and attention you can still make it to your choir practice or concert! Keep reading for survival techniques during cold and flu season.
1) What kind of sick are you?
Generally it’s ok to sing with a cold, but it may feel a bit strange if you have a lot of sinus congestion. If your sinuses are all swollen and your ears are congested you might think you sound different than usual. This is because when your ears are blocked you’re literally not hearing yourself the way you usually do. It may seem like you are singing extra loud or extra soft. Rely on your technique and don’t worry if you feel a bit out of sorts.
2) Drink plenty of water.
This is especially true if you have a sore throat. Whenever I’m sick I always get a dry scratchy throat and end up drinking tons of water. If your throat is especially phlegmy (eww) try some herbal tea. If you don’t love the taste of water you can always try one of those water flavour additives or fresh fruit. Try blackberries and cucumber! Also, drinking extra water will help your body fight the bug.
3) Vocal rest.
Try to use your voice less throughout the day and “save” it for rehearsal. If you have to talk a lot during the day you may be able to sing for part of the rehearsal and sit out part of it (let the choir director know first). You can always follow along without actually singing. One quick note – you should never sing if it hurts! If it hurts to sing and especially if it hurts to talk you should stop using your voice immediately. Singing through pain will just make it feel worse.
4) If you’re sick, stay home.
Review your music silently at home if you can. No need to pass the bug around to everyone else. Stay home and rest – you’ll get better faster. (Edit 2021: Obviously, you should get vaccinated for Covid-19. Do not leave your house if you are sick and make sure to get tested for Covid-19 if you have any symptoms. Be safe!)
5) Lozenges can be good, but don’t overdo it.
They can certainly help before and after rehearsal but don’t take them throughout the rehearsal. Lozenges can numb your throat and you may push your voice a little too much and not realize it.
6) The same goes for pain relievers and anti-inflamatories:
they can make you feel better however it might not be good to sing with them because you might be damaging your voice and not realize it until later.
I hope you found this helpful! What are your go to techniques for singing when you’re sick?